Magnetic methods for the treatment of material by J. Svovoda published by Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Inc., New York (ISBNO-44-42811-9) Volume 8) discloses both theoretical equation describing separation by means of magnetic forces with the corresponding types of equipment that may be so employed. Specific reference is made to cross-belt magnetic separators and other belt magnetic separators involving a permanent magnet roll separator. The permanent magnet roll separator similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the instant application is shown on page 144.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,773 (1983) of W. P. Hettinger, Jr. et. al discloses use of high magnetic field gradients produced from SALA-HGMS (high-intensity, high gradient magnetic separators). A carrousel magnetic separator containing a filamentary matrix within produces a high magnetic field gradient. Unfortunately, the filamentary material tends to catch particulates based in part upon size rather than magnetic susceptibility. Also the capacity of these units are limited since they must be from time to time be stopped to remove particles that have been captured by the filamentary matrix. The instant invention is an improvement over this method insofar as it provides a process that is continuous, and avoids difficulties associated with variations in particle size.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,207 (1952) of W. J. Scott discloses an apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic particles by means of permanent or electromagnetic magnets employed in connection with a moving belt. The belt moves through a quiescent liquid countercurrent to the direction of freely falling particulates. The magnetic particulates are attracted to the belt which is then scraped to remove magnetic particulates and which continues in an endless path through the quiescent liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,310 (1969) of S. Ergun, et al. assigned to the United States of America discloses a process for separating a mixture finely divided particulate materials having particle size in the range 40 to 400 mesh. The process takes advantage of the conductivity differences to electromagnetic radiation between pyrite and coal to selectively heat the surface of the pyrite particles and thereby increasing, their magnetic properties. Claimed is the generalized means of separating materials susceptible to change in magnetic properties upon heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,795 (1975) of Smith, et al. assigned to Continental Can Company, Inc. discloses an apparatus for separating magnetic from non-magnetic materials wherein a first belt transfers a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic materials into proximity of a magnetic transferring means which in effect transfers the magnetic material to a second belt. Permanent or electromagnetic fields are expressly disclosed. To provide more definitive separation, an air stream removes some of the non-magnetic materials from the second transfer belt that can be magnetic.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,390,688 (1921) of C. Ellis discloses a magnetic separation of catalytic material by means of an electromagnetic or permanent magnet, wherein finely divided nickel or magnetizable nickel oxide are removed from fatty acid oils prior to filtration of the fatty acid oils. The oil in suspended catalyst are allowed to flow past a plate under which electromagnets are placed causing the suspended catalyst to collect in a spongy mass around the magnetic poles and allowing the oil to pass off in the state of substantial clarity.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,348,418 (1944) of W. G. Roesch, et al. discloses a method to improve separation of hydrocarbon conversion catalyst from regeneration gases. Disclosed and claimed is the fact that fine sized particulates may be separated from flue gases by means of a magnetic field. After an initial separation of regeneration gases from regenerated catalyst, the regeneration gases are submitted to a reduction thereby reducing any magnetizable fine particulates to a magnetic state and then passing the material through a magnetic field. There is no discussion of discriminating between different catalyst having different amount of metals.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,078 (1949) of H. J. Ogorzaly discloses separation of iron containing particulates from a catalyst having particle sizes in the range of 5 to 160 microns and higher used in a fluid catalytic cracking process. Catalyst quality is improved by magnetically separating iron contaminants prior to any significant introduction of the iron contaminants into the catalyst itself. The iron particulates tend to be small fines which would otherwise not be readily separated by a cyclone. Iron particulates are removed from reactant gases from the reaction zone and regeneration gases removed from the regeneration zone by subjecting such gases to a magnetic field under conditions to remove undesirable iron particulates. There is no teaching to show discrimination among the catalyst otherwise removed from the reaction that resolve from a cyclone separation. There is no teaching to suggest that iron or other contaminated particulates could or should be removed from that mixture of materials that result from separating in a cyclone or other separation means.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,631,124 (1953) of H. J. Ogorzaly discloses removal of undersirable iron particulates in a particle size range of 5 to about 160 microns and larger. In a wet condition involving passing iron particulates contained in product gases from a tracking zone which have been subjected to a fractionation. The main difference between this process claimed in patent '124 from that disclosed in patent '078 is that the material is wet in '124 and dry in '078 and the material has undergone a fractionation in '124 to form a slurry prior to separation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,997 (Nov. 15, 1955) entitled Separation of Catalyst from Liquid Products discloses separation of cobalt nickel or iron from liquid reaction products by means of a magnetic field employing, for example, permanent or electromagnets providing a series of fields of progressively increasing intensity through which the liquid passes. In one arrangement, the number of magnets increases progressively in the direction of flow of the liquid, which may be upward, downward or horizontal with respect to a vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,749 (Apr. 21, 1953) discloses a method of separating active from inactive inorganic oxide catalyst that are in finely divided form. Catalyst are indicated to include those involved in cracking heavier oils such as gas oil into gasoline. Separation is effected by an electrostatic field wherein it was found that the less active catalyst fags through a cone or barrier onto succeeding electrodes without deflection. The more active catalysts tend to be deflected more extensively. Specifically, the electrostatic field is disclosed to be a pulsating electrostatics field with a strength of between 3,000 and 15,000 volts per centimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,576,690 (Mar. 16, 1926) discloses a process for the magnetic separation of material on a plurality of separating rolls wherein separate strong and weak magnetic ores whether natural or treated are separated. The field strength at various points increases so that magnetic material of different strengths can be separated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,343 (Jan. 18, 1949) discloses a means of removing ferrous and other particulate matter from liquids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,381 (Sep. 20, 1988) discloses a method for separating a mixture of solid particulates that include non-magnetic electrically conductive metals into light and a heavy fraction. This is achieved by means of an alternating magnetic field in combination with an air flow which effects separation of light and heavy fractions of material. Specifically the electrically conducted particles are influenced by the alternating magnetic field and can be substantially accelerated in a desired manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,065,460 (Dec. 22, 1936) discloses use of a rotor to effect separation of weakly magnetic and non-magnetic materials by rotating the surface of the rotator through a maximum density of magnetic flux which is near the top of the rotor. Separation is affected because the more magnetically attractive material tends to stay on the rotor longer than material of a non-magnetic nature which tends to, as a result of momentum, go further outward and are separated into streams by means of blades defining different paths. The point at which non-magnetic particles project from the rotor are a function of speed of rotation of the rotor, friction between the particle and surface of the rotor, and the size and density of the particle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,915 (Nov. 28, 1961) discloses a process involving nickel on kieselguhr catalyst for recycle of magnetically separated magnetic catalyst back to be used for further reactions. The catalyst size is from 1 to 8 microns. The specific nature of the magnetic separator is not considered the critical feature of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,367 (May 3, 1977) discloses a process for removing suspended metal catalyst from a liquid phase by continuously moving magnetic field of minimum intensity. Ferromagnetic materials are disclosed to be easily separated from a wide variety of solutions having a large range of viscosities. A continuously moving magnetic field has a minimum intensity of 200 oersteds produced by at least two disks rotating on a common shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,379 (Nov. 16, 1982) discloses use of a high gradient magnetic separator using a ferromagnetic matrix placed in a uniform high magnetic field to generate a high magnetic field gradient around the matrix. Catalyst particles made magnetic by deposition of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, vanadium, iron, and copper are separated and the relatively non-magnetic particles from the fluid catalystc cracking unit are returned for reuse. The metals deposited on a catalyst are disclosed to arise from a fluid catalytic cracking process magnetic gradient is 2 mm to 20 mm Gauss per centimeter with a field strength of 1 m to 20 m Gauss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,495 (Jun. 14, 1977) discloses a process for recovering heavy metal catalyst components from a waste catalyst. The metal components consist of nickel, copper, molybdenum, vanadium or copper and the like which are induced to coalesces as a discreet mass separate and apart from other waste catalyst components. If flux is added during the process followed by heating and mixing and crushing to form particulates of waste catalyst and metallic components of the catalyst into separate distinct entities which are then separated by means of a high powered magnetic separator for rough separation followed by a more precise magnetic separation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,241 (Apr. 3, 1973) discloses separation of hydrogenation of ash particles renders them susceptible to be removed by magnetic means. It was opined that the iron in the ash was converted by hydrogenation to a reduced form that in a magnetic field lead to separations as a result of a magnetic field having a strength of greater than about 10 m. Gauss. Process involved a coal liquefication improved by separating magnetically susceptible particles in a magnetic field of at least about 5 m Gauss. The ash particles add a particle size of less than roughly 200 mesh.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,179 (Jun. 14, 1983) discloses separation of mineral matter from carbonaceous fluids derived from oil shale. The process involves subjecting a heated oil shale mineral solid to a temperature at which magnetization of the material occurs. Continue heating above the temperature which magnetic transformation occurs continues to increase with increasing temperature to a maximum temperature at which peak magnetization occurs. Heating much above the point of peak magnetization results in a decrease in magnetization to a value of 0 around the Curie temperature. A variety of magnetic separation techniques are disclosed suitable to oil shale. Among these expressly center are super conducting magnetic separators, high-gradient magnetic separation ("HGMS)" and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,756 discloses a method for increasing settling of catalyst particulates used to hydrogenate resins and oils. Specific catalyst disclosed involve nickel. Subjecting the suspended particulates of a hydrogenated product to a magnetic field apparently causes a agglomeration or fluctuation of the particulates so as to increase the rate of settling and therefore, the ease by which such particulates may be removed from a hydrogenation product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,282 (Jul. 19, 1983) discloses a fluidized bed achieved by magnetization of particulates having certain sizes and being in part ferromagnetic.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,789 (Dec. 16, 1975) discloses magnetic separation of mixtures containing non-magnetic or paramagnetic materials by selectively changing the magnetic properties of certain of the materials. Specifically, magnetic fluids are caused to selectively wet and coat particles of one composition and add mixture with particles of a different composition. The difference in coating preference of the magnetic composition permits selectively separation of one material from those of another based upon differences in surface properties there between.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,825 (Oct. 27, 1987) discloses a super conductor high gradient magnetic separator having unique design features that permit low cost operation and minimal heat loss.
Examples of patents disclosing metals removal and catalytic cracking particularly relevant to this invention are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,624; U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,122; U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,687; U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,923; U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,673; U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,651; U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,223; U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,933; U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,785; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,415.
Processes disclosed in the foregoing patents are improved by the use of magnetic separation as discussed in more detail in this specification.
All of the references cited hereinbefore are expressly incorporated by reference.